“Great Water” is a short film that follows racers participating in The Mishigami Challenge, a 1,121-mile race around Lake Michigan. Intent on highlighting small rural towns in the American Midwest, it’s a solid film documenting the early days of a race that is only bound to grow. Watch it here…

Photos by Cody Schlabaugh.

The name for Lake Michigan is derived from the Ojibwe (aka Chippewa) word “Mishigami,” which translates to “great water.” It is the second-largest Great Lake by volume (after Lake Superior). Lakes Michigan and Huron are actually one body of water connected through the Straits of Mackinac, and together, they make up (by area) the second-largest body of fresh water in the world, second only to the Caspian Sea. The Mishigami Challenge is an ultra-endurance event hosted by Jack Peck that asks riders to ride around the entirety of that very lake.

In Great Water, a camera crew follows the pointy end of the 2024 edition of the Mishigami Challenge. Across its 1,121-mile length, riders faced trials, tribulations, and an experience unlike much of what they’d done before. Per Jack Peck, current race director and one of the first competitors back in 2022, “There are quicker ways to get around the lake, but this route tries to get riders off of the busy roads as much as possible utilizing hundreds of miles of rail to trail and US Bike Routes where available.”

  • Great Water: The Mishigami 2024
  • Great Water: The Mishigami 2024
Great Water: The Mishigami 2024

Speaking to his own experience as a finisher and race director, Jack said, “The route is iconic since you circumnavigate one of the Great Lakes, pass through small beachside communities, rural remote areas, and finish in the bustling streets of downtown Chicago. The terrain isn’t challenging, and there aren’t any real resupply challenges. The hardest part about the route is the sheer distance. Riders can make it as challenging as they want and choose what experience they want to have. With two distances to choose from and plenty of bail-out spots, I think it’s a great race for beginners and seasoned vets alike.”

For more on the event, visit MishigamiChallenge.com

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.